Fluid driven vibrator



Jan. 30, 1968 c. G. MATSON 3,365,964

FLUID DRIVEN VIBRATOR Filed March 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CARL G. MATSON \NVENTOR AGENT Jan. 30, 1968 c. G. MATSON FLUID DRIVEN VIBRATOR Filed March 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CARL. G. MATSON (NVENTCR QMM AGENT United States Patent Office 3,365,964 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 3,365,964 FLUlD DRIVEN VIBRATOR Carl G. Matson, Kewanee, Ill., assignor to Vibrator Manufacturing Company, Neponset, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 443,289 11 Claims. (Cl. 748'7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This virbrator includes a housing having a generally circular internal track and a generally disc-shaped rotor which rides upon the track when driven by fluid pressure, such as air pressure. The housing has internal side surfaces ajacent the sides of the rotor providing clearance for rotation but being close enough to keep fluid leakage past sides of the rotor at desirable minimum. Different ly shouldered side plates used in combination with rotors of different widths afford a convenient means for providing vibrators having different operating characteristics. A predetermined fluid by-pass is provided between the intenal track and the perimetri-cal edge of the rotor to facilitate easy starting of the rotor in any position of same and desired operation of the rotor. Fluid inlet and outlet capacities are provided further for obtaining efficient vibrator operation.

The present invention relates broadly to improvements in fluid driven vibrators, more specifically to such virbrators adapted to start readily in any desired position of mounting of the vibrator, and still more specifically to such vibrators adapted to be operated by any suitable and/or readily available fluid having a proper ratio of mass to differential of inlet to outlet pressure across the vibrator to effect desired operation of the vibrator.

This invention is related generally to vibrators disclosed in my copending applications Ser. No. 345,431 and Ser. No. 391,241, filed respectively on Feb. 17, 1964, and Aug. 21, 1964, and incorporates improvements thereover for certain desired modes and/or methods of operation of this general kind of vibrators.

The present vibrator is characterized by comprising inlet and outlet ports adjacent an internal raceway for an orbiting and rolling rotor that bears at its circumference upon the raceway. The rotor is in the form of a disc, and maybe either a solid disc, but in this improvement is preferably a suitably perforated disc for reasons to appear more fully below. Driving fluid enters the inlet port to effect a predetermined driving force upon a substantial area of the periphery of the rotor. The fluid exits through the outlet port at a position preferably at least 180 degrees peripherally spaced from the inlet port in the direction of orbiting of the rotor. The rotor rotates slowly (with respect to the cycles of orbiting thereof) in an out of time phase relationship, and in a direction opposite to the orbiting thereof.

The vibrator is further characterized by being self starting in all physical orientations as mounted on apparatus to be vibrated thereby. This overcomes a shortcoming of at least one presently known vibrator which is difficult to start when the periphery of the rotor, in static repose, registers generally with and/or substantially covers the inlet port for the driving fluid. In such position, a Bournolli effect obtains, and the rotor is restrained or inhibited in starting by said effect.

The apparatus of this invention overcomes the shortcoming set forth immediately above by providing a fluid .by-pass between the rotor and the raceway at such times when the periphery of the rotor registers with the inlet port. The apparatus also provides a similar by-pass for the outlet port; although this feature is secondary in effect regarding starting. However, the outlet by-pass contrib utes to more powerful, efficient, fast and quiet operation of a vibrator thus equipped.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of this invention to provide improvements in fluid driven vibrators.

Another object, in keeping with the preceding object, is to provide a disc type of vibrator with inlet and outlet ports adjacent the perimeter of the disc thereof.

A further object is to provide improvements in discs utilized in vibrators.

Still a further object, in keeping with each of the preceding objects, is to provide a vibrator of the general kind hereof that is self-starting in all physical orientations.

Another object, in keeping with the next preceding objects, is to provide a predetermined by-pass for driving fluid between the periphery of the rotor and the raceway of the vibrator.

A still further object is to provide a vibrator having few componet parts, but being capable of facile modification to obtain different desirable operating characteristics thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in details of construction and/or arrangement of parts, and will be either obvious or pointed out in the accompanying specification and claims as construed in view of the accompanying drawings, wherein like character references identify like parts, and-in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a presently preferred modification of this invention, with parts broken away for clarity of detail;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and above the rotor therein;

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional detail view of a modified closure plate;

FIG. 4 is perspective view of the rotor shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are views similar to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, but show a second modification of the invention.

Before referring in detail to the drawings, brief mention of uses to which vibrators of this kind are put may aid consideration of the versatile nature of this invention. Vibrators of this kind have high pound-inch orbital capacity, and also display high orbital frequency while requiring relatively slow rotor rotation upon the surface of the internal raceway. At least in large part, because of these attributes, rotors can be physically different from the two rotors to be described to obtain different operational force and frequency characteristics. Several different rotor configurations are shown in the above mentioned copending applications, to which reference may be had.

Vibrators of this kind, accordingly, need comprise only a few bodies and a few rotors to attain an extremely large family of characteristics. Inasmuch as industry desires a nearly endless range of such characteristics, the versatility of a single housing having different rotors and different side closure plates will be discussed briefly.

A single housing can be provided. with three differently inwardly extending shouldered side-closure plates. These plates can provide a minimum of at least three different Widths of internal generally cylindrical cavity. An outside diameter of rotors can be provided with four different internal diameters and three different widths to match the cavity Width. Thus, as will appear more fully as the description proceeds, twelve different pound-inch ratios are obtainable at a given orbital frequency. Obviously different outside diameters can change pound-inch ration While inherently changing orbital frequency. In addition to such changes, the pressure differential at which each rotorhousing combination is operated further provides additional versatility.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 through 4, a fluid driven vibrator is generally indicated by the reference character i The vibrator preferably has a cast housing 12. The housing 12 can be of any suitable size and shape, and is illustrated as being generally round and having a pair of legs 14 containing bolt holes 16 or other suitable means for securing the vibrator it) to apparatus to be vibrated in any desirable orientation thereupon.

The housing 12 is preferably cored when cast, and bored in finishing to provide a raceway in the form of a short cylindrical bored surface 26 transverse of the housing 12. It is significant that the housing 2 can be of cast iron, and the surface 20 put into service as bored, reamed, broached, or the like, and does not require grinding or hardening for usual heavy duty service for this vibrator 10. However, for extremely high force and efficacy of induced vibration, it is within the teachings hereof to use high tensile irons, steels, etc. for the housing 12, which can be forged or cast for such heavy duty; and the surface 2i can be finish ground if desired or required.

A pair of generally disc-shaped side closure plates 22 snugly fit counter-bores 24 on opposite sides of the housing 12. The plates can be physically identical, and preferably are thus to elfect a minimum of factory, distributor and dealer stocked parts. The plates 22 have center apertures 26, and a bolt 28, nut 30, and lock washer 32 secure the plates 22 in assembled position. A label disc 34 may also be retained by this bolt assembly.

The closure plates can also be fabricated as shown in FIG. 3a. In FIG. 3a, a closure plate 22a has a periphery 24a sized to snugly fit the counter-bores 24 of the housing 12. Each closure plate 22a is provided with a shoulder 36 sized to fit Within the bore 20 in the housing 12. A pair of the closure plates 22a, installed in the housing 12 in lieu of the closure plates 22, will reduce the width of the cavity in the housing 12 to the extent of the sum of the dimensions of both shoulders 36 extending thereinto. Obviously, different dimensions can be provided. For each dimension there will be a corresponding difference in the width of the cavity defined by the bore 29 and the inside faces 49 and 49a of the several closure plates 22 and 22a, etc.

A rotor 44 has a perimeter 45 that is cylindrically shaped and is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the raceway or bore 20. The above mentioned prior applications show several useful diameters for such rotors. For convenience in consideration hereof, a rotor 44 having a diameter of about 90% of the diameter of the bore 20 and made of suitable bar stock such as steel, bronze, or other suitable metal, will orbit inherently at high frequency to induce vibrations, While rolling relatively slowly on the bore 20 whereby to effect long life of parts. Metals used for the rotors 44 that burnish, or work harden or the like, are particularly efficacious for enhancing the life of parts and providing hitherto unexpected durability in apparatus of this general kind subjected at all times, in use, to high energy force reversals.

The rotors 44 can have different outside diameters 45 and inside diameters 46 and be made of different weight materials to obtain different desired orbiting and/or rotation and/or weight characteristics. In addition and/or alternatively the rotors may be of different widths to attain similar and/or additional and/or different characteristics. In addition, rotors can be varied by adding rings 4411, FIG. 4, inside to reduce the diameter of the bore 46 and change their weight.

For different rotor 44 widths, different side closure plates 22, 22a, etc., are required to maintain suitable clearance spaces 48 at sides of the rotor. A clearance of about .002 inch minimum at each side provides desirable operation, and it appears that a few thousands of an inch more than such clearance can be of substantial utility. At this minimum desired clearance, it appears that fluid is en-' trapped by rnulti-molecular-layer cohesion in addition to and coupled with fluid to metal adhesion, anda desirable fluid (usually air) lubrication results. Accordingly, gyroscopic precessive and nutative excursions appear to be rendered efficacious in inducing angularly oriented har' monic motion with relationship to the rotors orbitally induced vibrations, to effect greater efficiency of operation of the vibrator it The rotor 44 is driven. around, and caused to roll upon, the raceway formed by the bore 20 by fluid pres= sure difference between inlet and outlet fluid. Any suitable fluid, such as liquid, gas vapor, or combinations and mixutres thereof, may be used to drive the rotor 44. Rotor orbiting can be induced by either positive fluid pressure of supply fluid, by negative fluid pressure (vacuum) of exhaust fluid, or a combination of both pressures. In the claims the terms fluid pressure or the like, are intended to mean any one, or combination, of rotation inducing functions of pressurized fluids.

A fluid inlet boss 56 can be threaded suitably to at tach to a pipe, not shown, connected to a source of fluid under pressure, such as air. A fluid inlet port 52 can be drilled, and the port 52 terminates in a opening 54 at the surface of the bore 20. As shown, the opening 54 is midway between sides of the housing It) for a purpose to appear more fully below; however, other locations reside within the teachings hereof, if other parts, to be explained below, cooperate at different locations of the opening 54 for achieving a primary purpose of the invention to be described more in detail below. I

A fluid outlet boss 55, suitably threaded, is located conveniently adacent a side of the casting 10 spaced from the side having the inlet boss 50. A port 56 extends inwardly from the interior of the outlet boss 55, and the port 56 terminates in an opening 58, FIGS. 1 and 3, shown as transversely centrally located at the surface of the bore 20. Such central location is convenient for manufacture and affords quiet operation of the vibrator 10 for reasons to appear more fully below. The boss 55 can be connected to a fluid return line, vacuum device, or remain open if a suitable gas such as air is used to drive the rotor 44. The peripheral location of the opening 58 permits foreign substance to be exhausted readily from the interior of the vibrator 10 out through the outlet boss 55.

The rotor 44 has a peripheral groove 69 therearound located midway between the parallel opposite sides of the rotor 44. The groove 68 is thus located so as to register with the inlet opening 54 at the time when the periphery 45 of the rotor 44 engages the surface of the bore 2% of the housing 10 adacent the inlet opening 54.

Because the vibrator of this invention is mounted in any position of orientation upon a device to be vibrated, the rotor surface 45 can cover the opening 54 when the rotor 44 is at rest. Such position would exist if the housing 12, FIG. 1, were rotated about degrees clockwise from the position shown. In such position, pressurized fluid supplied from the port 52 out through the opening 54 will flow along the adjacent and registering portion of the groove 60. This fluid will thus flow around the bore 20 and groove 60 to a position radially spaced from the opening 54, be decelerated, expand, and increase in pressure to cause the rotor to rotate.

Exhaust fluid exits through the outlet opening 58, port 56 and out of the boss 55 in thedirection of the flow arrow adjacent thereto. A suitable ratioof dimensions for the fluid flow path is as follows:

Diameter of outlet opening 58 equals two times the diameter of the inlet opening 5 4.

Groove 60 width equals two times the inlet opening 54 diameter.

Groove 60 depth equals one-half the inlet opening 54 diameter.

The foregoing dimensions are not to be construed in a restricting manner because several variations thereof can serve useful purposes. However, the above proportions provide a good efficiency factor, i.e. horsepower consumption versus vibrational forces per time rate of imparting said forces. The vibrator is self-starting readily in all orientations of same.

A vibrator made in keeping with the above specification, having a rotor about three inches in diameter and one and a half inch width, starts in different orientations at a differential pressure range between inlet and outlet ports of from ten to thirty pounds per square inch of fluid pressure. Of course, different sizes will display different characteristics, and these parameters are set forth by way of example only to aid others in timely practice of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 7, another embodiment of the invention is disclosed. Like reference characters designate like parts which will not be redescribed.

The rotor 44 of this modification does not have a peripheral central groove (such as the groove 60 FIGS. 1, 2, and 4), and such construction is desirable for certain applications of this invention. The rotor 44 can be conveniently fabricated from several different materials, such as plastic, ceramic, metal, etc. and in addition can be formed by several processes concomitant to the material used for the rotor 44.

Because some of these rotor 44 materials may not be most conveniently peripherally grooved, an internal periphearl groove 60a is provided centrally of the bore in the casting 12 of the vibrator 10. The groove 60a can be machined, or used as cast; or extend only adajcent the inlet opening 54a as a partial groove to effect starting of orbiting of the rotor 44. For quiet operation, it is desirable that at least a partial groove be adjacent the outlet opening 58a in the casting 12. 2

The proportions of the inlet opening 54a, the outlet opening 58a, and the groove 6% can be generally the same as those set forth above in connection 'iwith the description of FIGS. 1 through 4. Accordingly, {the embodiment of FIGS. 5 through 7 will start up in all positions, and function substantially identically as the embodiment described first hereinabove.

While two embodiments of this invention have been disclosed in some detail for purposes of illustration, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a housing forming a generally fluid tight enclosure, a generally circular track having a first predetermined diameter within said housing, a generally disc-shaped rotor having a generally circular perimetrical surface having a second predetermined diameter for riding upon said track, a pressurized fluid inlet at a first predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, a fluid outlet 'at a second predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, said fluid outlet being spaced from said fluid inlet, and a pressurized fluid -by-pass between said surface of said rotor and said track.

2. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a housing forming a generally fluid tight enclosure, a generally circular track having a first predetermined diameter within said housing, a generally disc-shaped rotor having a generally circular perimetrical surface having a second predetermined diameter for riding upon said track, a pressurized fluid inlet at a first predetermined position in saidhousing adjacent said track, a fluid outlet at a second predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track,said fluid outlet being spaced from said fluid inlet, and a pressurized fluid by-pass between said surface of said rotor and saidtrack formed as 'a groove in said housing into which said fluid inlet admits pressurized fluid.

3. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a housing forming a generally fluid tight enclosure, a generally circular track having a first predetermined diameter within said housing, a generally disc-shaped rotor having a generally circular perimetrical surface having a second predetermined diameter for riding upon said track, a pressurized fluid inlet at a first predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, a fluid outlet at a second predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, said fluid outlet being spaced from said fluid inlet, and a pressurized fluid by-pa ss between said surface of said rotor and said track formed as a peripheral groove in said surface of said rotor in registry with said fluid inlet.

4. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a circumferential housing and at least one closure plate for a side of said housing for forming a generally fluid tight enclosure. A generally circular track having a first predetermined diameter within said housing, a shoulder on said plate extending into said housing for controlling the width of said track, a generally disc-shaped rotor having a generally circular perimetrical surface having a second predetermined diameter for riding upon said track, a pressurized fluid inlet at a first predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, a fluid outlet at a second predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, said fluid outlet being spaced from said fluid inlet, and pressurized fluid by-pass between said surface of said rotor and said track.

5. A vibrator of the kind set forth in claim 1, said by-pass being formed as a goove in said housing into which said fluid inlet admits pressurized fluid.

6. A vibrator of the kind set forth in claim 1, said by-pass being formed as a peripheral groove in said surface of said rotor in registry with said fluid inlet.

7. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a housing and a pair of side closure plates cooperable with said housing for forming a generally fluid tight enclosure, a circular track within said housing, a generally disc-shaped rotor of predetermined width having a surface generally of said width for riding upon said track, a shoulder on each of said side closure plates, said shoulders fitting and extending into sides of said circular track to control the width thereof, said controlled width being slightly greater than the predetermined width of said rotor, a pressurized fluid inlet at a first predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, a fluid outlet at a second predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, said fluid outlet being spaced from said fluid inlet, and pressurized fluid by-pass means between said surface of said rotor and said track.

8. A vibrator of the kind set forth in claim 7, said by-pass being formed as a groove in said housing into which said fluid inlet admits pressurized fluid.

9. A vibrator of the kind set forth in claim 7, said by-pass being formed as a peripheral groove in said surface of said rotor in registry with said fluid inlet.

10. A fluid driven vibrator comprising a housing forming a generally interiorly parallel flatsided fluid tight enclosure, an endless generally circular track within said housing at a generally normal angle to the flat sides thereof, a generally disc'shaped rotor having a peripheral surface for riding upon said track, a pressurized fluid inlet of a first diameter at a first predetermined position in said housing adjacent said track, said fluid inlet being generally equidistant between the flat interior sides of 7 8 said housing, a fluid outlet of a second diameter at 21 References Cited second predetermined position in said housing adjacent UNITED STATES PATENTS said track, said fluid outlet being spaced from sald fiuld 2,535,596 12/1950 Peterson 74 87 inlet, the diameter of said fluid outlet being generally 2793 009 5/1957 Peterso 74 87 h diameter of said fluid inlet for controlling the 5 n t 6 2,875,988 3/1959 Wysong 7487 release of energy of the pressurized fluid driving said rotor, and a pressurized fluid by-pass between said sur- FOREIGN PATENTS face of said rotor and said track. 890,750 3/ 962 Great Britain.

11. A vibrator of the kind set forth in claim 10, said by-pass being in peripheral alignment with said fluid 1O FRED MATTERN, Primary Examinerinlet. W. S. RATLIFF, Assistant Examiner. 

